


Cupcakes, puppies and other things taken out of context

by anotsosecretfangirlx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Smut, Spark Stiles Stilinski, magazine, shifter stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 21:31:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19118083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotsosecretfangirlx/pseuds/anotsosecretfangirlx
Summary: Derek bribes Stiles into being his plus-one to a work related event, where he becomes entwined with Peter.“We could always just go to Vegas,” he casually tosses in and Stiles’ head snaps up.He’s never really thought about eloping, but the more he thinks about it, the more appealing it sounds. A smile stretches over his face, “Okay, let’s do it.”Peter seems surprised that he gives in that easily, but he’s not going to complain. “Good thing I’ve already packed our bags.”





	1. Something Borrowed

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for my partner in crime,Squishy Sterek, for being so patient with me whilst I was writing this! Apologies in advance for any mistakes :)

Few things in life are enticing enough to lure Stiles out of the hermit hole of his own creation: his dad, Lydia Martin’s wrath, a new Batman movie or cupcakes. Not just any cupcakes though. No, these cupcakes are life-altering. Other cupcakes pale in comparison. The only problem? Derek’s the mastermind behind them and he hates baking. He’s given him the recipe, but he can’t get the taste right. He’s even asked Melissa to make them, but even hers seems to come up short (though hers are significantly better than Stiles’). So, when it comes to cupcakes, he’s easy to bribe, which is a weakness which Derek likes to exploit. Case and point: cupcakes in exchange for being his plus one to the Mag Awards, some ceremony that the Hale Magazine’s employees have been nominated for, Derek included. 

He doesn’t really understand why Derek can’t just ask someone else, or just go alone, like he wants to, but apparently having Stiles there will act as a buffer between him and his family. Last time he went to an event like this, his mom and sister tried to set him up with three different people, three. By the end of the night he was so fed up with them he didn’t speak to them for a month. After that fiasco he vowed to never attend an event like this alone again, which is where Stiles comes in. He doesn’t really mind, Derek’s a good friend who’s helped him out in the past. He probably would’ve helped either way, the cupcakes just sweeten the deal. Pun intended. 

He tries to keep up with the conversation, but he’s never really followed any of the magazine stories which seem to be trending, much to his dismay. He has however done research on an endless number of subjects, so when some woman keeps going on about how they should’ve rather done an article of banshees, listing numerous incorrect facts to impress her audience, Stiles is quick to correct her. She stares at him in outrage, and huffs before she stomps off, not thinking it worth her time to engage him. He’s sure she’s trying to save face elsewhere. 

“Pray tell, what did you say to have such a lovely lady running away from you?” The voice comes from behind him and startles him, causing him to nearly spill his drink. Luckily the stranger manages to steady him, saving him from disaster. 

He’s briefly struck speechless by the sight of the man. The blazer he’s wearing seems to be hugging him in all the right places, and he’s easily one of the most attractive men he’s ever laid eyes upon. He wouldn’t mind having his hands on him again, albeit for completely   
different reasons. Given the intensity of the man’s eyes staring back at him, it’s as if he knows exactly what he’s thinking. 

Once he’s steady on his feet, he answers the man, relaying what had just taken place, “but you already knew that. Didn’t you, Mr. Wolf?” 

The man shrugs and takes a sip of his own drink, not looking put out at all that Stiles called him out on his behavior. Instead he radiates an aura of confidence, with a smug smirk tugging at his lips. “Guilty as charged. I suppose I just wanted an excuse to talk to you. Most people aren’t well versed in banshee lore.” 

Stiles giggles. Somehow this man doesn’t seem to strike him as the type to need an excuse for anything. Given how he carries himself, he’s flattered that he noticed him at all. “I have a degree in mythology and behavioral science,” he admits, tugging at his sleeve, “and it helps that one of my best friends is a banshee,” he adds. 

He hums, motioning towards a table so that they can have some privacy, or at least an illusion thereof, given that they’re at a ceremony geared towards the supernaturally inclined. Stiles gracelessly slumps down into the offered seat, tired after all the schmoozing. He’s glad he doesn’t have to do things like this on a regular basis. The cupcakes somehow don’t cover the torture he’s had to endure tonight. 

“I don’t suppose it’s work that brings you here tonight?” He fishes. 

Stiles shakes his head,” I’m just a plus one. This isn’t exactly my idea of a fun Saturday night, though the company seems to be vastly improving,” he sends him a wink, not really knowing where the sudden courage is coming from, but he decides to roll with it. 

“You could always ditch your date,” he suggests, eyes never leaving Stiles. 

He considers it, and he can’t say he’s not interested. He doesn’t even want to think about what his scent must reveal right now. “I can’t. I’m here as a favor to a friend and I can’t just abandon him.” 

He points out that he’s been wandering around aimlessly for almost an hour now. Stiles   
can’t believe it’s already been that long. He hasn’t seen Derek since he left to speak to someone a while ago and it appears that he just never came back. 

“Oh, and what do you suggest I do?” He attempts to sound disinterested, but he has a feeling that he’s missing it by a mile and a half. 

He scoots closer to him and leans in, lips ghosting over the shell of his ear, causing him to shudder. “Well, you can join me in my hotel room, and we can continue our discussion on mythology, and you can ask me some of the questions you’ve been dying to asks all night,” he says knowingly. 

Before Stiles can react to the otherwise mundane suggestion, he continues, “and then, once you’ve been thoroughly captivated by my charm and knowledge on all things supernatural, I’ll bend you over and fuck you until you’re sobbing, not knowing if you want me to stop or continue. Then, once that’s done, I’ll make you cum again, just because I can” he says in a blaze manner, causing Stiles to choke on his own spit. 

“I....” He begins, “don’t think that’s going to work,” he finishes lamely. He frowns, clearly not expecting the answer, “OH, and why is that?” 

“You see, once we get to your hotel room you won’t have the brain capacity to answer all my questions. You’ll have to try to seduce me the old-fashioned way another time. Right now, I just really want to get my mouth on you.” 

He’s barely finished the sentence when he’s dragged out of his chair and through the lobby towards the elevator. Apparently, he’s staying in one of the upper penthouses for the weekend to reduce travel time. Stiles couldn’t be more grateful. As soon as the elevator door closes, he’s crowded up against one of the walls, claiming his mouth in a fierce kiss. Despite is earlier teasing, Stiles is momentarily caught off guard, before he responds and moans into the kiss, causing his grip to on his hips to tighten. He breathlessly pulls away, leaning his forehead against his chest, needing to ground himself, “I’m Stiles, by the way,” he offers. He can feel the vibrations from the man’s laugh and he flushes when he thinks about what he’s been up to tonight, which is extremely out of character for him. He thinks Lydia would be proud. 

“Peter,” the man responds wryly, pulling him closer and grinding his thigh against Stiles. Before things can escalate even further the elevator dings, startling them both. They can’t get out of there quick enough. Stiles is grateful for the tap access keycards, not wasting anytime in getting Peter backed up against the wall, hands already on his belt buckle as he drops to his knees. 

Soon they gravitate towards the bed, with Peter spreading him out, as promised. He doesn’t end up crying, but it’s a close thing, with the overstimulation edging just on the right side of painful. 

“How are you still hard?” He moans as Peter nudges the head of his cock into him again. Stiles doesn’t think he can get hard again after the amount of times he’s already cum, and he briefly mourns the loss of his teenage years. 

“Werewolf stamina,” he grunts, now fully seated in Stiles. Guess that answers that question. He doesn’t think he’ll ever be content with fucking someone else ever again, not after this experience. He supposes other weres will probably be similar enough, but there’s just something about Peter that draws him to him. 

His arms have given in and he’s now just lying there, face pressed against the pillow with his ass sticking in the air, content to be used. Peter finally gives three hard thrusts, before stilling. Stiles can feel him pulsing deep inside of him and mourns the loss of him as he pulls out, leaving him feeling empty. 

He’s carried to the bathroom and draws a deep bath, with Peter lowering him into it before sliding in behind him, pulling him close and wrapping his arms around him. 

The older man meticulously washes every inch of him, the hands tugging at his hair drawing a breathless sigh from his lips, not having the energy for anything else, kissing his shoulders, moving on to nibble his neck. He doesn’t really pay attention to the happenings around him, blissfully lost in the sensations. 

Once they’re dried off, Peter drags him back to bed, encasing him in his strong arms, leaving Stiles feeling secure against the body of mass behind him. 

Stiles burrows him closer to the heat which he radiates, and he briefly thinks that he shouldn’t probably be feeling the way he does, especially not about a man closer to his dad’s age than to his, but with a hand drawing shapes against his hips, he just can’t bring himself to care.   
Over the years Stiles has woken up in numerous unexpected places: the preserve, a stranger’s bed and, in one memorable occasion, the trunk of a car. 

The first time it happened was shortly after his mother’s funeral. He had woken up alone in the middle of nowhere, and when his dad eventually managed to find him, he’s been stuck in his shifter form for nearly three days. 

It would take time before he would try to shift again and when he did, he was distraught to find that instead of shifting into a golden-brown fox as per norm, he’s changed into something completely different. He no longer took after his mother, but instead appeared to be somewhat of a freak, not knowing any other shifter to possess his form. 

He spoke to Deaton about it, asking whether it’s possible for a shifter’s form to change. He didn’t mention that it’s happened to him, though he suspects Deaton must’ve known, given the look of pity that he had given him. 

Apparently, there were creatures known as sparks who were more magic than they were shifter and their shifter form were a mirror image of their very soul. Sometimes events would occur which would leave imprints on their being, forever changing them and therefor also their shift. 

He had thanked him and asked him if he could possibly put him in contact with any sparks, but apparently, they were so elusive that for a long time they were believed to be only a myth. 

He eventually came to with the fact that he’d never be a fox again, instead taking on the form of a mane wolf. It figured that the animal would be gangly-limbed and being a mane wolf ensured that it was one of a kind, not really finding comradeship with foxes or even wolves for that matter. 

So yeah, he supposed they were a perfect pair, both awkward and never really fitting in. He often wondered which event was the catalyst which had enough dominion over him to impact the very fabric of his soul: his mother’s death, being possessed by the nogitsune or Scott changing into a werewolf. The first two were major incidents in his life, but he suspects it’s the latter which changed him, because of the wolf-factor. If not that then definitely because of his involvement in the werewolf community. 

Ever since the change occurred, he’s had trouble sleeping, so when he wakes up fully rested, he’s surprised to say the least. He doesn’t really know what to do about the situation. He’s pretty sure they’ve veered away from one-night stand territory, especially since Peter didn’t seem opposed to the idea of wooing him at a later stage. Stiles admits that his sharp tongue and extensive knowledge on all things supernatural was enough to lure him in, but it’s clear that they come from very different places. Before he can catapult himself into a chasm of overthinking, he feels movement from behind him. 

He looks up to find Peter staring at him, a soft smile gracing his face. “Penny for your thoughts?” 

His cheeks heat up underneath his gaze, and he’s suddenly aware that they’re both still very much naked beneath the sheets. “I’m just thinking about where you’ll be buying me breakfast this morning,” he teases, pouring himself over his chest. 

He arches an eyebrow, “OH, is that so?” His tone suggests that he’s not opposed to the idea, but he won’t be doing all the work, and he won’t be making it easy for Stiles. 

“Yup,” he pops the ‘p’, licking over his lips, the movement enough to grab Peter’s attention. 

“Very well,” he stages an exaggerated sigh and put-upon expression, “and where will we be going this morning?” 

Stiles shifts around a bit so that they can better see each other. He pretends to think it over, “I know just the place. You’re driving,” he informs him, attempting to get out of bed, but Peter pulls him back in. 

“And what will I be getting out of this?” He asks, fingertips lightly tracing over his stomach, moving dangerously low. 

Stiles catches his hands before it can move any further down, “The pleasure of my company of course,” he sends him a cheeky wink before leaping out of bed, not wanting to give Peter an opportunity to entice him into lounging around in bed all day. He’s not exactly opposed to the idea, but although he might not be a growing boy anymore, he has needs, the needs being pancakes and a decent cup of coffee. He’s sure they can just order it through hotel service, but he feels like that’s cheating. 

Peter stares at him, but eventually concedes, getting out of bed and pulling on his pants, tossing one of the shirts from his closet at Stiles. When he stares at him in confusion, he explains, “Somehow I doubt you’ll want to go out in a dress-shirt.” 

Stiles shrugs, not really caring either way, but he appreciates the gesture, especially coming from a werewolf. He suspects he’s staking a claim, but he’s not exactly going to call him out on it. “At least now people probably won’t be running off t tattle to my dad,” he muses. 

He doesn’t really pay attention to what people say about him, but he’d prefer it if the rumors didn’t reach the local sheriff. Last time he was out with someone, he knew about the date before it was even over, much to Stiles’ dismay. 

“I think people will talk either way,” Peter says, referring to the marks on his neck, tracing his fingers over them, which he didn’t really notice before he pointed it out. 

He groans when he spots them. He grabs one of the scarves he spots in the closet to cover the marks, not wanting to really go out looking like he’s been mauled by a bear, or in this case a wolf. “Really? You couldn’t have just bitten a bit lower?” He knows that werewolves are possessive, but they haven’t even known each other for a full 24 hours. He’s not exactly opposed to the marking, but he’d prefer being able to go out not looking like an asshole. They’re going to have to have a talk about this if they’re going to continue whatever it is that they’re doing. 

When they get to the diner, located on the outskirts of Beacon Hills, Stiles immediately places his order, with Peter opting to have the same. He figures if Stiles is that eager, it’s   
probably worth a try. After an enjoyable breakfast, and after many witty remarks, they exchange contact details and Peter drops Stiles off at his apartment. 

Derek contacts him later that day, apologizing for just bailing on him the previous evening. His mom stole him away and wanted to introduce him to some people who she thought could help him with his latest project, and he was inclined to agree, losing himself in the conversation, not really keeping track of time. He informs Derek of his own evening and is shocked to learn that Peter is Derek’s uncle. 

Derek doesn’t seem thrilled to hear that they’re planning on meeting again, especially since the rest of his family thought he was Derek’s date. It would make meeting the family as Peter’s significant other an experience to say the least. He could only hope that they have forgotten about their previous excursions if it would ever reach that stage. 

He phones Peter later that day, no longer able to contain his panic. He explains that he was in fact Derek’s plus one but tells him in no uncertain terms that they’ve never been romantically involved. Peter doesn’t seem to mind, finding the situation funnier than he should. “You made quite an impression on Talia, apparently she’s hoping that she’ll will see you again.” 

Stiles snorts. Given everything that’s happened, not even Derek’s cupcakes will be enough to get him to face his family.


	2. Something Blue

He will regret those thoughts, though to be fair, it’s not exactly cupcakes that act as motivation to attend the dinner. Months later, and after it’s firmly established that they’re in a relationship, it’s agreed that’s it’s probably time to meet the family. Lydia comes over to calm him down and help him chose something to wear, but one she gets there she’s unimpressed with what she finds. 

“Do I want to know why you’re sounding like a dying whale?” Lydia arches her eyebrows and Stiles just presses his face deeper into the couch cushion, letting out another groan. 

Eventually she manages to coax him out of his stupor, and he gives her the cliff notes version of meeting Peter. 

She rolls her eyes at his antics, but doesn’t seem all that surprised at the situation he finds himself in, “What I’m getting out of this is that you’ve been seeing this guy for months and his family might have already know you through Derek. It’s not really the end of the world, at worse they’ll think you’re a horrible person to jumping from Derek to Peter and you’ll just have to explain to them that you’ve never actually dated Derek and was only really there as a favor to a friend.” 

He lets out another distressed groan, not caring that he’s supposedly an adult, “Why do you always have to be the sensible one?” He asks. 

The unimpressed glare he receives is answer enough, “Well, do you like him?” 

“Way to sound like an 8 year old, Lydia,” he snarks, and by the calculating look she gives him, he can only assume that that was the wrong answer. 

Reluctantly he continues, “Obviously, we’ve been dating for months.” Despite this, they barely survived meeting his dad, and he knows that meeting Peter’s family will probably be significantly worse. 

His dad was unimpressed that he’s dating Derek’s uncle, and he suspects he’d probably would’ve been happier if it’d been Derek that he’d brought home instead of Peter. Eventually his dad had come around to the idea of him dating Peter, but he only because his disapproval had been putting tension on his relationship with his son. 

“Do you still have red button-up that I got you last Christmas?” She asks out of the blue, or maybe not really, he’s zoned out of their conversation for the last five minutes. 

He furrows his brow, trying to think where he put it. He only tried it on once before packing it away. The fabric itself was comfortable enough, and given the price Lydia pays for clothes, he supposes that’s to be expected, but it just wasn’t something he normally wore and as a result was a bit out of his comfort zone. 

“Yeah, I still have it. I’m pretty sure it’s in my closet somewhere.” He thinks. He’s not sure. The amount of plaid and graphic tees he sees when he opens his closet is starting to scare even him. One of these days he’ll fold like a cheap pack of cards and allow Lydia to give his  
wardrobe a makeover. Someday in the far, far future. What can he say? He’s attached. 

She takes it upon herself to rummage through his closet, tossing some clothes aside which she deems acceptable for the occasion. He ends up with the button-up shirt and a pair off dress-pants, admitting that his jeans probably won’t have made the cut. 

Lydia forces him to take another shower, despite having taken one before she arrived, because ‘you want to make a good impression, and weres prefer a more natural smell.’ He’s just lucky he’s switched to the odorless body wash a while back. When Scott just got turned, he couldn’t stand to be around most people, because the smell irritated his senses, causing him to look like an agitated puppy. He normally still buys the odorless ones, but sometimes it slips his mind completely or he gets some scented ones as a gift, and he doesn’t want to let those go to waste. He suspects that even Peter prefers his natural smell, given the way he reacted when he wore the aftershave that Danny had gotten him last Christmas. 

He concedes and takes the shower, enjoying how the hot water pelts down on his normally tense body, allowing his muscles to relax. By the time he’s done, he’s completely calm. He suspects it was more about resetting his state of mind than anything else Lydia might have suggested. Leave it to her to trick him into self-care. 

When his done getting dressed, Lydia attempts to style his hair, and he thinks that brides have probably had an easier go at things on their wedding day than he’s having to go through with Lydia. “Why can’t I just do my own hair?” He complains about the umpteenth time, unwilling to undergo this treatment for much longer. 

“Because you’ll try to put get in your hair and it’ll end up looking like a cow licked it. Besides it’s already done, and how didn’t even cry,” she says teasingly, clearly happy with her work. He’s almost afraid to touch it, in fear of invoking Lydia’s wrath, but to be honest, he doesn’t know how long that resolution will last. 

She seems to sense his inner turmoil, and not for the first time he wonders whether banshees can read your mind. Probably not, but he wouldn’t be surprised if it’s exclusively a Lydia thing. 

” I know you can never leave your hair alone and I took that into account. You won’t be undoing any of my work by touching it.” He’s just happy that he doesn’t have to restrain his traitorous hands. 

At 6-o’clock sharp there’s a knock at his door. He doesn’t really know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t Peter Hale standing there with a large bouquet, made up entirely out of different types of candy. There might even be a candy type or two that’s completely unknown to him. He thinks he might be in love. 

“Somehow I thought you’d appreciate this more than flowers,” he says as Stiles makes grabby hands at him. Peter pauses for a beat, intent on making him wait in anticipation, before he relents and hands it over. 

“Marry me,” he all but swoons, placing it on the counter before locking up behind him. He hears Peter chuckle and catches a glimpse of the soft smile adorning his face. 

“Maybe later, you’ve got to survive meeting the family first.” It’s weird how he was so nervous before, and now that Peter’s here he’s completely at ease. He’s almost positive that his family will hate him, but he won’t mind the outcome either way. 

“Shall we?” He asks, extending his arm, but before taking him up on his offer, he slowly leans in, gently pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss. 

He almost feels giddy when he pulls back, as he always does when Peter kisses him, noting how his grip on his waste has tightened and he fleetingly hopes that he’ll be able to see marks in the mirror tomorrow. Guess he was lying to himself when he said he didn’t enjoy the possessive behavior. 

Despite having calmed down, he’s still met with a sense of foreboding at the sight of the legendary Hale house. The house itself is immaculate, with trimmed hedges and an eerily neat cobblestone pathway, it seems picture perfect, like it was taken straight out of a magazine spread. He hates it immediately. Talia seems surprised to see Stiles there, and he can see the moment her lights turn on and she realizes he’s the guy that Derek introduced him to all those months ago.  
Talia greets them, and for a moment seems extremely confused, informing him that Derek will only be by later that night. Peter gleefully informs him that Stiles is the guy he’s been seeing. She tries to hide her distaste, but it’s clear that she’d rather have an Argent at her table before she chose to accommodate him. Most of the family ignores them, going about their own business and pretending he’s not here. 

“So, Stiles, what do you do for a living?” Laura asks, her voice too cheerful to be sincere. 

“I’m a consultant on mythology and folklore, though I’ve been on sabbatical for the past few months so that I can complete my latest research paper,” he says. He’s been trying to correct a lot of previous prejudices and inaccuracies on the supernatural research done in the past. He doesn’t blame people for getting things wrong, since it’s only in the past ten years that weres and other creatures have really come into the public light, but after the last case he consulted, he thought it’s long overdue for someone to do something about it. He’s also been helping Scott with his ‘supernatural rehabilitation centre’, as he likes to call it. It pays having a shifter-spark as a best friend. 

Laura seems begrudgingly impressed by this, and asks the question that’s been on everyone’s mind that evening, “How did you and my uncle get together? I seem to recall you attending the Mag Awards a few months back as Derek’s plus-one?” 

“I stole him away with my devilish good looks,” Peter informs them. Stiles swats his shoulder in reprimand, and Peter simply chuckles. 

“I was there as a favor to Derek. We’re just friends,” he informs them icily, “Peter and I met that night and we got together soon after,” they don’t necessarily need to know how soon. Some of the tension seems to dissipate after that, but it’s clear that the family’s not fond of Peter. 

“And what did Peter have to bribe you with to come to dinner tonight?” Laura asks snootily, intent on spoiling the evening. He would’ve understood if they thought him a cheater or Peter a homewrecker, but they’d already cleared up the situation. It seems that they’re just miserable people by nature. 

“Blowjobs,” he deadpans and revels in the fact that Talia chokes on her drink. He hears a cackle that he’ll recognize anywhere, and his head shoots up, just in time to see Cora and Derek walking around the corner, Derek with a slight green tint to his face, probably not wanting to imagine his uncle and best friend in that situation. 

“Stiles, a pleasure as always,” Cora leans down and places a firm kiss on his mouth. 

Peter doesn’t even bat an eyelash when he responds,” Really Stiles, you told me you’d consult me next time you invite someone into bed with us. I really shouldn’t reward bad behavior.” 

Stiles knows there isn’t a stutter in his heartbeat, given that he technically did invite someone into bed with them without consulting Peter, but it was a dog. He was fostering one of the shelter pets. Peter hated every moment of it. Stiles found it hilarious and would’ve kept him had Scott not found a home for him. He’s been trying to get him to cave and get him a pet, but according to Peter ‘he can literally shift into a wolf, he doesn’t need more than one furry animal companion in his bed’. 

Cora shrugs, not caring about the sickened looks on her family’s,” I just had to see was all the fuss was about,” she slides into the vacant seat next to Stiles, and Derek takes the seat opposite her. 

“Hopefully I meet your expectations. You can be the next Hale on my list, since Derek didn’t make the cut and Peter isn’t willing to share me.” He finds it funny that it seems like the Hales believe him, since Cora would eat him alive and he doesn’t meet her criteria i.e. he has a dick. Peter obviously knows about her preference in partner, but it seems her family are either blissfully ignorant or unaccepting of her orientation. Though to be fair, if they think he can convert Derek to the ‘dark side’, dating Cora is probably not that farfetched. 

“Fine,” Peter relents,” we can get everything we need on the way back and choose one this weekend.” He doesn’t know if he’s just saying that to get a rise out of his family, but Stiles is going to keep him to his promise. There’s a puppy down at the shelter with their name on it.  
His apartment doesn’t allow pets, but he and Peter have discussed it and have decided to move in together at the beginning of next month. He’s excited to start building a life together, even if nobody in their lives really approves of their relationship. 

He squeals in delight and presses a kiss against Peter’s cheek, enjoying the feel of the stubble against his skin. Shortly after, Cora decides to leave, despite having just got there. Even Derek seems ready to bolt, and he’s inclined to agree. 

“We just wanted to inform you that Stiles is going to be helping Derek out with his latest article, so you should be seeing a lot of him in the office over the next few weeks, also, we’re moving in together,” Peter drops both bombshells and it’s clear they can’t decide to focus on. Eventually they decide on Derek, sweeping the news focusing on Peter to the sideline. 

Talia spins around to face Derek, clearly unimpressed that he’s chosen to involve Stiles in his work, “What could he probably have to offer you? I had to go to great lengths to find you an expert on the subject!” She exclaims in outrage. 

“I just think he’ll be able some expertise that I won’t get elsewhere,” Derek replies, voice getting softer towards the end. Stiles hates that her actions have such a negative impact on him, and he laughs at the absurdity of the claim. 

Talia whirls to face him, and out of the corner of his eye he can see Peter trying to suppress a smirk. “What could you possibly know about sparks? You’re going to ruin all of Derek’s hard work! I had people flown in from all over the world to consult on the subject! You’re going to ruin it!” 

Stiles suspects her issue has more to do with lack of control over Derek’s life. From what he can tell, she’s had ‘experts’ ‘consult’ Derek since his article on biting consent received all the backlash, and he suspects that he’s getting sick of it. 

“Well, considering that I am a spark, I think I can probably provide a fresh perspective,” he retorts. 

Her mouth gape like a fish and she stares at him in pure disbelief. “That’s not possible. There are only a handful of sparks born every few centuries. We’d know if one took up residence in Beacon Hills.” 

“It’s not exactly common knowledge, and with my dad being the sheriff people don’t exactly spread that kind of information around.” They seem to treat him with more respect after that, but he doesn’t care for it. He’s found that if people don’t know about his abilities, they’re more inclined to show their true colors.


	3. Something Old

He decides to pop by the station the next day, wanting to tell his dad the good news in person. 

“Hey Stiles. How’s it going?” Deputy Parrish asks, taking one of the doughnuts Stiles offers him. 

Stiles beams at him and shows him the ring. He might be there to show his dad, but he can’t contain his excitement, wanting his friends and family to share in his joy. 

He frowns and opens his mouth as if to say something, but appears to think better of it, “Congratulations,” he settles on. 

“What are we congratulating my son for?” His dad questions as he exists his office, making a beeline for the doughnuts. 

He allows his dad one, with his dad accepts with a bit of suspicion. It’s never a good sign when Stiles willingly gives him sugary snacks. “What did you do now?” He asks, with only a hint of exasperation coloring his voice. 

Stiles is affronted by the idea that he’s done something wrong. He doesn’t always cause trouble, just *most of the time*. 

He shows his dad the ring and he oo’s and ah’s at it, but he can tell he’s does not really approve of his decision to marry the man. He had hoped after the Hale family dinner fiasco that he could lean on his dad, but that was clearly not happening. 

“Don’t you think it’s too soon? You’ve only been dating for a couple of months,” his dad points out when Deputy Parrish is out of earshot. 

He shakes his head. He knows they haven’t been together that long, but he’s happier when Peter’s around, and to quote one of the best romantic comedies of all time ‘When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.’ 

He thinks of sharing the quote with his dad, but decides against it. He doesn’t want to be accused of looking at the situation with rose tinted glasses. Which he’s not. He realizes that they have an unusual relationship, but it works for them, and at the end of the day that’s all that really matters. It would make all their lives a lot easier if people would just accept that they’re together. Scott even tried to set him up with someone else the other day, despite him having met Peter on numerous occasions. He was unimpressed to say the least. 

“I’m happy for you, kiddo,” the sheriff says, his tone more sincere than it was before, clearly realizing he’s not going to budge on this. 

“Thanks dad,” Stiles smiles weakly. He was so excited when he got there, but he just doesn’t have the energy to deal with this anymore. He leaves the remainder of the doughnuts on the table in the break room and makes his way home. 

The drive has at least somewhat cleared his head and when he gets to his apartment, he finds that Peter’s already waiting for him on the couch. 

He spreads is arms wide and waits for Stiles to curl himself up against him, before soothingly running his fingers through his hair. “That bad?” He asks softly. 

He shrugs, and he knows he can feel it,” He’s trying, I know he is. I guess this just isn’t what he wanted for me. He wanted me to move away and settle down with someone more ageappropriate and have 2.0 kids and a house with a white picket fence. That’s just not me though. I don’t want any of that. I just want you, always you.” 

He presses his face into the crook of his neck and Peter runs a hand over his back, drawing patterns as he goes, helping to calm him down. 

“Well, my family’s ecstatic. Apparently, they’re excited to have a spark join the family.” He notes that they want him for his prestige and nothing else. He thinks when Derek’s article finally releases that it’ll probably be a lot worse, since he’ll essentially be catapulted into the public eye. 

“Do you think we’re rushing into things?” He asks, his dad’s concerns taking root in his mind. 

“Never,” Peter replies vehemently,” I would’ve asked you sooner if I’d thought you’d say yes. Really, I was holding out by werewolf standards,” he teases. 

He stares into his eyes, searching for any sign of deception and, when finding none, he slumps down against him. “Our wedding is going to be such a mess. They’re going to try and turn it into a circus. I just wanted something small,” he laments. 

“We could always just go to Vegas,” he casually tosses in and Stiles’ head snaps up. 

He’s never really thought about eloping, but the more he thinks about it, the more appealing it sounds. A smile stretches over his face, “Okay, let’s do it.” 

Peter seems surprised that he gives in that easily, but he’s not going to complain. “Good thing I’ve already packed our bags.” 

He laughs at the absurdity of it. He didn’t think he was capable of loving someone as much before he met Peter. He feels that he understands him and loves him for all his eccentricities. 

They get sidetracked before they leave, since seeing Peter in the shower is just temptation incarnate, and he’s never been one to let the opportunity to get his hands on him go to waste.   
Vegas is everything that Stiles expected and more: it’s bright and loud and alive. 

They check into some fancy hotel which Peter had the foresight of booking, before changing into the suits that he had packed for them. 

When he lays eyes on Peter, everything feels different. Yes, he’s seen him dressed up hundreds of times, but never like this, never just for him. 

Peter also looks a bit.... star struck, for lack of a better word. He enjoys these tender moments together, appreciating a side of him that no one else gets to see. 

They drag a witness off the street, and they’re set to go. Batman marries them, much to his delight. Peter’s really thought of everything. 

After they’ve ‘tied the knot’, so to speak, and he has officially acquired a new, hyphenated last name, they go to the infamous ‘Millennium Fandom’ bar. 

It really warms him to think about how much effort Peter has put into this to make it an unforgettable experience, one he wouldn’t change for the world. 

Stiles doesn’t know what to focus on, between the cosplayers and Star Wars and other geeky memorabilia lining the walls, he thinks he’s died and gone to heaven. He even gets to witness a real life lightsaber battle, well, as real as they get anyway. 

Peter orders them some drinks, with his own being laced with wolfsbane, and Stiles slides in next to him at the bar. 

“What can I get you, Bambi?” The bartender asks and he owlishly blinks up at her and shakes his head, indicating that he’s here with Peter. 

“Congratulations,” she says when she finally has a chance to take in their attire and spots their wedding rings. It’s an easy assumption to make, he probably would’ve blended in better here if *he* was the one to wear the Batman costume, and not their minister. “On the house,” she sends them both a wink before moving down the bar to serve some more customers. 

“Can we just never leave? I’ve found my people,” he swings his arm out dramatically, gesturing to the room at large. 

“You’re welcome to take up residence here, but you have to don the slave Lea outfit,” the bartender deadpans. 

“Whatever, Catwoman, you’d be lucky to have me,” he pouts. He doesn’t think he has the legs to pull off that outfit, but maybe if he shaves... 

She shrugs, neither confirming nor denying his statement, and he counts that as a win. 

When they finally decide to leave, the bar’s nearly closing and he’s definitely a lot less sober than he was a few hours ago. 

He tries to coax Peter out of his pants, but no dice. He tries to voice his pun, but his words seem to fail him. 

“You’re drunk, we have more than enough time for this the rest of our lives,” and doesn’t that sound nice. 

He tries to protest, saying something along the lines of ‘but it’s their wedding night’, but as soon as Peter drops him on the bed, he’s out cold. 

Peter still teases him about it the next day, and Stiles briefly contemplates murder. No one should be so loud this early in morning. Afterwards though he does make it up to him. 

They stay for another few days, before taking the scenic route back to Beacon Hills, stopping everywhere that looks even remotely interesting, and when they finally return home, they’ve been gone for about a week and a half. 

Derek’s the only one they tell about their change of status and he seems genuinely happy for them. 

They see a lot of him over the next few weeks, with Stiles and Peter being a constant presence at Hale Magazine. 

Laura and Talia both congratulate him on the engagement, and they pester him about wedding details. He tells them if they want to know so badly, they can do it themselves, which positively thrills them. 

“You are positively evil,” Peter seems delighted when he tells him what just occurred. 

“Guess we’re a matching pair then,” he smiles and discards his robe, shifting as instructed so that the photographer can take the last photos needed for the article. Peter also shifts and trots up next to him, the large gray wolf obscuring him from the camera, before lying down next to him. 

“You know, I’ve never seen a shifter with your form before,” Derek comments lightly, once everyone is human and very much clothed again. 

Stiles tenses up at the comment and Derek tries to backtrack, but he assured him that it’s fine. He realizes that he couldn’t have known that it’s a sensitive subject. 

He told Peter a while back, who assured him that he finds him beautiful in every shape and form. He also had access to texts that Deaton didn’t and shares it with him, shedding some light on the situation. 

Shifter forms *are* triggered by major events, but almost no sparks only have one shifter form, they have closer to four or five. He’s been trying to practice more, but it’ll take time. It allowed him to make peace with that side of himself though, but he still doesn’t really want to discuss it. 

Peter handles the publication and Stiles doesn’t get a sneak peek into the article, having to wait, just like everybody else. 

To say that he was shocked when he saw the magazine issue would be an understatement. There, featured prominently on the cover is Stiles. He flips through till he finds the article, surprised that takes up a six-page spread. Sparks have never really given firsthand accounts, so he guess it would be big news in the supernatural community. 

But only the first half of the article really pertains to his abilities and history of sparks, with the last few pages featuring him and Peter, boldly announcing their wedding, with accompanying pictures that he doesn’t remember taking and everything. 

He suspected Peter might do something like this, especially with the hints he’s been dropping, but still feels a little heads up would’ve been nice. 

By the time he gets home, the home that he’s sharing with Peter now (Peter had people handle the moving while they were away, and he was just really grateful that he didn’t have   
to carry any boxes), his phone has blown up with messages, most from Scott and Lydia, but he’s also received a bunch of missed calls from his dad. 

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Peter asks, when it rings for the umpteenth time. 

He smiles and turns off his phone, “No, I don’t think I will. I have everything I need right here.” 

Before he can curl up on the couch, Peter brings him a tightly wrapped, green package. 

They often have surprises for one another, but considering the last time Peter handed him an ‘unidentifiable object’, they’d gotten engaged, so he tears into the packet with just a hint of trepidation. 

He stares at the contents in confusion, removing what appears to be a rope from the packet. It takes a moment for things to fall into place, and upon closer inspection he realizes it’s a leash. 

His head shoots up and Peter grins at him, retrieving a puppy from the bathroom. The dog is surprisingly quiet, probably why he hadn’t noticed the pup earlier. 

“I picked her up this morning. Scott’s mad at you, by the way, but I think it smoothed things over a bit when I told him we’ll be giving this girl a forever home.” 

The puppy wriggles in his arms, attempting to make a daring escape. He carefully takes her from Peter and cradles her against his chest, stroking her softly. 

“What’s her name?” He asks, voice barely above a whisper, not wanting to startle the pup, who appears to be close to dozing off. 

“Her registered name is Luna,” he replies dryly,” Scott thought it would be funny, considering her owners. You can always call her something else though.” 

Stiles shakes his head. He doesn’t mind the name, even if he does find it a bit corny. He knows that Peter is also just putting up a token protest, already wrapped around Luna’s little finger (paw?).


	4. Something New

Two months later they’re at the award ceremony which started it all, with Peter giving the speech this time. 

There are significantly more people this time, and that’s really saying something, since it wasn’t exactly a small event to begin with. 

When word got out about the spark in a Beacon Hills, supernatural creatures from all over the country flocked to meet him. The article had placed him into the public eye, but he doesn’t really mind. After all, being married to Peter endured that there will always be *someone* watching them. 

His dad is even in attendance, though more to act as a police presence of anything else. Some of his friends were also there, but so far he hasn’t seen much of them. He thinks Scott’s probably raiding the food table and Lydia must be off torturing Jackson elsewhere. 

“Banshees have an extremely high range. I bet I can get you to scream louder,” Peter whispers in his ear during one of the speeches and he tries to cover the snort. 

Peter’s been hurling cheesy pick-up lines at him all evening, trying to ‘recreate their first meeting’. He tells Peter that they must remember it very differently, but eventually it gets the job done, with Peter even having rented out the exact same motel room. 

The door is barely closed when strips out of his own clothes, Peter tracks every movement, gaze filled with hunger. He bites and sucks at his neck, intent on leaving a mark that he knows will fade within the hour. All those people wanting to talk to the resident spark must’ve been tough on Peter, especially with some of the untoward touching taking place. 

One of Laura’s friends was especially forward, not taking the hint when he said he’s happily married. He ended up sending the equivalent of Harry Potter’s stinging hex her way, but not before Peter staked his claim, as if doing a secret spread on their wedding wasn’t enough. 

Even Erica, the bartender from Las Vegas, and her partner, Boyd, was in attendance, having kept contact with them as the months progressed and currently taking a cross-country road trip. 

She had teased them mercilessly about being worse than teenagers and made plans with them to meet up the following day. 

Obviously the marks Peter had left didn’t fade by the following day, and she made some comments that he was sure even had Peter blushing, though it may have also given him some ideas. 

“Hale won the most influential magazine of the year award,” Peter informs them as he slips into the booth, next to Stiles. 

They had slipped out before the actual awards could be handed out, having better things to do at the time, namely each other. 

Talia was unimpressed by their behavior, but that wasn’t anything new. He thinks she still hasn’t forgiven them for completely excluding them from their wedding, but he doesn’t exactly care. 

“That’s great,” which is a bit of an understatement really, but what else is there to say on the subject? 

“Yes, I suppose we’ll be hearing some interesting things about it in the future,” Peter says, piquing Erica’s interest. 

“How so?” She asks. She’s been following the magazine since they’ve met, and it’s helped her with a bunch of issues which she didn’t even know she had. She took the bite for medical reasons, but control can’t be achieved by never leaving the hospital, and her alpha was questionable, at best, so her knowledge was severely lacking when she was turned. Luckily, she had met Boyd soon after, which helped her find her anchor. 

“Derek’s taking over my shares, so he’ll be playing a more active role in the company,” he informs them, taking a sip of his scalding hot coffee. 

Erica nods. She’s met Derek and thinks he wants to do what’s best for everyone, even if his efforts are sometimes misguided. 

“You know, there’s always place for you two at the company, if you’re interested, that is,” Peter offers. 

She thanks him for the opportunity, but ultimately declines, siting that they’d feel stifled in Beacon Hills, but that they’d make more of an effort to come down regularly. 

Stiles thanks them for stopping by and they promise to meet up again soon. They’re glad to have made some new friends, even if they’re not from around here. 

Each time they go out with friends, the conversation becomes a bit stilted, especially since Peter and Chris are friends, whilst Allison is dating Scott. 

It’s generally not that much of a problem, but it’s nice to have friends to talk to who don’t criticize their relationship. 

Taking this into account, he and Peter have decided to move to New York, and are planning on opening another Hale branch there, which will focus entirely on issues facing the supernatural community. Between the two of them, they should have proficient knowledge on most topics and if they don’t, they’ll know someone who does. 

Lydia’s also decided to tag along, having nothing keeping her in Beacon Hills after she and Jackson broke up, for good this time. She’s volunteered to help get the new branch up and running, working hard on building their public image. 

His dad took their decision to start over somewhere else the hardest. They offered to help relocate him to New York, but Beacon Hills is his home and he’s content to stay there for the time being, saying that he’ll take another look at things when he retires. He’s just glad his dad is finally trying to get along with Peter, though it’s only because he suspects his dad is secretly sneaking him food. 

The only setback of living in such a big city is that there’s no place to run, leaving Peter’s wolf feeling restless. Even Stiles feels ungrounded due to his limited contact with nature. 

So more often than not, they find themselves in Beacon Hills when it’s the full moon, providing ample opportunity to stay up to date with everything that’s happened while they were gone. 

On one particular Saturday night, with the moon already high in the sky, they drive out to the preserve and strip off their clothes. 

Peter’s already deep into the woods by the time Stiles shifts and he quickly gives chase, easily catching up with the larger creature. 

When he runs, the leaves crunches beneath his paws and all the scents are tugging him in all directions. 

He hears Peter up ahead, probably hiding in an attempt to scare him, but tonight Stiles feels as he’s directly plugged in to Beacon Hills and plans to make the most of it. 

He jumps up onto the boulder, accidentally kicking some rocks down in order to maintain his footing, and he leaps-no, he soars. 

Mid-jump he shifts, and takes on the form of a raven, causing Stiles to startle so badly, that he shifts back and lands on top of Peter, who’s been observing him with avid interest. 

It feels as though a weight been lifted from his shoulders. He now has confirmation that he was never broken. He’s heard it often enough but experiencing something for the first time that to most sparks seems to be second nature, gives him hope. 

Deaton was wrong, all those years ago. He’s changed, but so has everyone else, growing as a person and his experiences adding to who he’s become. 

He no longer cares about who he was all those years ago, be it fox or wolf. Perhaps that’s what’s been holding him back all along, preventing him from moving forward. 

Peter shifts back and kisses his forehead, not saying a word as he simply holds him. 

They’ve built a life for themselves, one which he wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world. It took him a while, but he’s finally comfortable in his own skin, whether it’s as a human or in his animal forms. 

“You’ve always been perfect,” Peter assures him, as if reading his mind, “and I knew that from the moment I laid eyes on you. I was so glad when I found out you were unattached, and even if you weren’t, I don’t think I would not have stopped without at least trying to get you to notice me.” 

He wraps his arms around him, “I’ll always notice you.” He rests their foreheads together, “you’re stuck with me. Now and forever. For everyday you’ll have me, for the rest of our lives.” 

They stayed like that till the sun came up and a new dawn broke over Beacon Hills just as they were driving out of town and moving on. 

It would be a while before they came back, but when they did it was always in celebration:   
Derek finally getting engaged, for Scott and Allison’s wedding and eventually for the birth of their children. Now cupcakes would be used to bribe him into babysitting duty, though he would’ve watched the kids either way. 

They got their storybook happily ever after. It wasn’t perfect, as few things ever was, but they grew together and vowed to continue and try to make a difference. 

Some battles were won, and others were lost, with the Beacon Hill’s *Hale* eventually fracturing completely and splitting into several different magazines. Peter managed to save some of it, so all wasn’t completely lost. 

Stiles can’t help but think of that quote by Graham Greene as he reflects upon all that’s happened in the last few years, ‘A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.’ 

Stiles chooses to look ahead, he has for a while now. With Peter by his side, he’s ready to face whatever’s to come. Looking back on everything that they’ve overcome and all the stories that they must tell because of it, he can’t help the feeling of melancholy that overtakes him. 

And if he hugs Peter a little tighter after that, well, there’s no one to call him out on it. He doesn’t believe that Peter is the ‘lid to his pot’, as he doesn’t feel that they’d be incomplete without each other. He believes them to be two flowers in the same garden, beautifully complement each other. They’re happy and that’s all that matters, and everything else is just icing on top of the cupcake.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
